Karachi Test: Usman Khawaja’s unbeaten hundred places Australia in driver’s seat vs Pakistan on Day 1

Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd Test: Australia rode on an unbeaten 124 from Usman Khawaja and 72 from Steve Smith as they dominated proceedings with the bat on Day 1 on a dry pitch in Karachi.

Karachi Test: Khawaja, Smith make merry for Australia on Day 1 towards Pakistan (AP Photo)

HIGHLIGHTSPakistan reched Stumps on Day 1 of the 2nd Test at 251/3Usman Khawaja hit 100, Steve Smith bought out for 72David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne failed to bother the scorers a lot

Australia rode on Usman Khawaja’s unbeaten hundred to dominate the opening day of the 2nd Test towards Pakistan on the National Stadium in Karachi on Saturday. On what appeared like one other flat wicket, Australia batters made gradual however regular progress after captain Pat Cummins gained the toss and opted to bat.

Islamabad-born Khawaja had fallen agonisingly in need of 100 within the opening Test in Rawalpindi the place he top-scored for his facet with a breezy 97. The elegant left-hander made amends in Karachi the place he shelved the reverse sweep and made an unbeaten 127, which included 13 fours and a six.

Smith made 72 earlier than falling to Hasan Ali within the penultimate over of the day. Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon had but to open his account as Australia ended the day on 251/3.

“It would’ve been nice to have Smith there at the end too but we had a good partnership,” Khawaja stated.

“We’ve still got plenty of batting to come. It started to reverse in the second session and made it tough to score against the pace bowlers.”

Khawaja appeared in elegant contact and scored freely on the leg-side after being fed often on his pad.

His opening accomplice David Warner was much less convincing, although, surviving a few LBW appeals and getting hit on his shoulder by a brief supply from Hasan Ali.

Seamer Faheem Ashraf broke the 82-run opening stand with a again of a size supply that Warner, who made 36, might solely edge to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.

Pakistan tasted a second success quickly afterwards when Sajid ran out Marnus Labuschagne for a duck with a direct throw from mid-off.

KHAWAJA, SMITH DOMINATE

Khawaja and Smith steadied the ship batting by the second session.

Khawaja took a single off Nauman Ali to convey up his third hundred in 4 exams since his recall in January after greater than two years’ absence.

Pakistan spinners resorted to a damaging line after tea, bowling approach down the leg facet, to stem the run move and the batsmen have been comfortable to only pad them away.

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson makes his Test debut, becoming a member of Lyon in Australia’s two-man spin assault with Josh Hazlewood sitting out. (With Reuters inputs)